"What is happiness?"

Some say "ignorance is bliss" others will say "knowing is the ultimate enjoyment."

What do you say?

To me, happiness seems to be an acceptable cognitive bias. We find little joys in the world (through aesthetics) and never really question why they are joyful or beautiful or appealing to us. But why do we never question what we enjoy or what makes us happy?

There seems to be a battle in our minds of 'knowledge vs happiness'

We will sacrifice happiness to know more, and we will sacrifice what we know for happiness... What does this say about us as a thinking thing?

How does one 'know' 'happiness'?
Are you happy with your already knowledge? Why or why not?

___

One day I was at a Burger King and waiting online to order. The person behind me (about my age - 22) was speaking very loudly and said "I'm just happy, that's all there is to it. I am in a great mood, because I am happy." Or something like that, and I turned around and asked "Or do you think you are happy?" He responded "Wow, that was deep" and laughed and we smiled at one another and nodded and I turned back around to order. As I waited for my food I turned around to look at the person and he was no longer smiling, he was in a deep state of thought and even let the person behind him cut him in line to order ahead of him. He was no longer smiling but had no emotions on his face. I can only blame myself for changing his state of mind, but all I did was encourage him to question his own happiness... Which made him no longer happy...

Once we question (seek knowledge of) our happiness, can we be just as happy after that line of questioning? Can we always be happy while we question our own happiness?

Let's discuss!

* I know I ask a lot of questions, feel free to answer them or comment in a general response!
_____________
I've also asked in the past: "What is love?" "What is evil?" And soon "What is respect?"

Closing Statement from Nicholas Lukowiak

I didn't get to respond to a few individuals and if those individuals want - they are more than welcomes to e-mail me to continue. Or anyone else.

So, a closing statement on "what is happiness?" seems humorous! As it should never have a final say, but maybe a simple conclusion.

As my original summary suggested I do think happiness is (at times) a sort of cognitive bias, but that does not suggest I think of happiness in any 'negative' manner. In fact I believe it is a leading factor that guides our general thinking as a spirit, soul and/or mind - as a human being.

From the conversation you will see that majorly happiness was regarded as 1. momentary, 2. involves an idea of enlightenment, and 3. an interpersonal experience. We also talked about happiness involving A. choices, B. self actualization via individuation, and C. social altruism.

My final thoughts: We should all practice hard-hedonism as individuals, philosophers, freethinkers, etc. What I mean by 'hard-hedonism' is that we should lead our lives by pleasure, but to never let pleasure go unquestioned. I think of happiness as something similar to the practice of 'faith' and if happiness is worth having, it can stand-up to the scrutiny of a serious investigation. Find what is joyful, aesthetic, and pleasing in life, absorb it, store it, but do not be greedy and keep it to yourself! If there is anything worth calling 'beautiful' and 'breath-taking' it is worth being shared.

Ultimately, I don't think there is happiness without sharing happiness with others - hence this conversation!
So find pleasure, understand why it pleases you, then share it! Better yet, give it away! Good things should given away at no cost besides the smiles we take on credit!

Apr 3 2014:
"Dan Gilbert discusses This Emotional Life, a PBS program he hosted. Gilbert offers an answer to the question “what causes happiness?” He points out that there is a set point for happiness, despite good or bad experiences. Humans are good at adjusting to their circumstances, and no matter what they experience they are likely to have a general level of happiness, independent of their experiences.

Gilbert suggests that we should be more skeptical when considering what causes happiness. Much of what we think we know about happiness is wrong.

In “This Emotional Life,” Dan Gilbert says there are three key findings on the science of happiness:
1. we can’t be happy alone
2. we can’t be happy all the time
3. we can be happier than we are currently

Humans are social animals; we need to socialize. The biggest predictor of happiness is the extent of our social relationships. A primary reason that our brains have evolved in the manner they have is so we can be social.

Gilbert says “friendless people are not happy.” It is not realistic, nor is it desirable to be happy all the time. Negative emotions are natural. When considering negative emotions, what is important is learning to appropriately regulate those potentially damaging thoughts. Being happy all the time implies epistemic irrationality (holding beliefs that are not commensurate with available evidence).

With a few minor changes you can probably be happier than you currently are. This adjustment doesn’t require much effort, and may be easier than you think."

Personally, I know when I'm happy. I just feel it and oftentimes I can't even explain why I'm happy or unhappy. I believe the secrets to true happines are: 1) doing the right things even when no one is watching, 2) making the right choices no matter how difficult, even when making the easy ones is more convenient, 3) making positive contributions to other people in the community.

The reasons of Dan Gilbert's keys:
1. we can’t be happy alone ---- Symbiosis or keeping DNA alive.
2. we can’t be happy all the time ---- a-step-better.
3. we can be happier than we are currently ---- a-step-better

The reasons of your secrets:
1) doing the right things even when no one is watching, ---- For keeping DNA alive.
2) making the right choices no matter how difficult, even when making the easy ones is more convenient, ---- For keeping DNA alive.
3) making positive contributions to other people in the community. ---- Symbiosis or keeping DNA alive.

Apr 16 2014:
The OECD Better Life Index has some interesting criteria that it uses, on an International scale, to determine "life satisfaction" on a broad spectrum. Stating that ,"Happiness, or subjective well-being, is also measured by the presence of positive experiences and feelings such as enjoyment and pride in accomplishment, and/or the absence of negative experiences and feelings such as pain, worry or sadness." Of course, this is just one entity's definition of happiness....but I would tend to agree with their criteria if we are really trying to apply a quantitative/qualitative measurement of what it means to be happy.

I am a Registered Nurse and feeling very conflicted with my nursing practice, especially in recent years, as I feel that culturally we need to look closer at what "quality of life" means to the individual...which I suppose would be very similar to the "life satisfaction" scale. I have recognized the lengths that people will endure medically/surgically to in order remain alive...or for the hope of lengthening their life. What seems to be desperately missing is the scale that helps people to determine what exactly that means to them. What makes them HAPPY, or allows a feeling of LIFE SATISFACTION, versus simply the ability to be alive.

Then, there are the people who seem to be more "happy" when they are miserable. You know the ones I'm talking about. They seem to thrive on negativity and drama. Despite efforts to offer solutions or examples of how they might be "happier", they continually make choices or negate options that would require the work to be happier. there is always someone else to blame for these people and they are undeniably stuck in a place of "poor me" and the victim to everyone and everything.

This is a topic that I am eager to explore in greater depth here. I am passionate about empathy and gratitude as well. I feel they are all interconnected, and I am excited to engage in this discussion! Thanks for the opportunity!

Apr 8 2014:
I use that one a LOT Wayne....."and this too shall pass". It serves to bring me back to the moment, and realize that most things that may create unhappiness (in our perception) will often pass, if we give it a little time.....a moment.....a day....week....month..........

Perhaps part of recognizing and experiencing happiness is acceptance? Patience?

Apr 6 2014:
Happiness is a feeling,
often difficult to hide,
may expose what is really going on inside.
"Once we question (seek knowledge of) our happiness, can we be just as happy after that line of questioning? Can we always be happy while we question our own happiness? "
For me, feelings change as time passes. Happiness is dynamic. I am not always happy when seeking self knowledge, are you?

Apr 8 2014:
I am not always happy when seeking self knowledge - but, I imagine, in the long term, I will be better for it.

So in the moment I am willing to sacrifice my happiness to try and gain a longer term of happiness (for my whole life), but... I do this, that does not mean others do it. And personally I asked why?! Why would you not want to offer (give up) some happiness now to be happy for the rest of your life? By merely questioning life, existence and one's personal enjoyment...

Apr 5 2014:
The state of mind when you do not seek happiness anymore. It is different from contentment, satisfaction, peace or joy all of which are context dependent. Happiness is free from context and self expressing.
The ancient wisdom says that one needs to detach mind from all material associations to be happy. I do not agree with the view. In my little experience, it is more an elevated state of mind and being rather than getting free from material associations.

Apr 8 2014:
Pabitra - You seem to be talking about a state of enlightenment, that which is finding an eternal happiness by means of not needing to seek happiness... Not making the goal happiness but allowing the path to accept it on the journey through life. In which I agree and is a great interest of mine when considering longevity issues.

And yes I also agree, it's not about attaching to items and materials, it's about understanding why we attach which is much more wise to do. Dismissing our innate desires to want to find significance in objects is wrong, but questioning and understanding why we do so... that is wisdom seeking.

Thanks for your response, I can sum it up as "happiness is not looking to be happy, but accepting it as a natural condition."

Apr 8 2014:
I am happy with your summary :)
Happiness is a natural condition or a natural state of being. I hope you noticed that it is only the unhappy people who are reminded of happiness, happy people hardly care if there is anything such as unhappy.
Some say there is a perfect happiness and we are in eternal pursuit of it. I am not sure if there is anything perfect other than the hypothetical. Imperfection is the order of nature. If I am not wrong modern neuroscience corroborates the fact that we shape our minds (and neuron-hormonic make up our brains) as much as our minds shape us (behaviorally).

Apr 8 2014:
Hi Nick, yes, because that's the only way we can express our thoughts and act on our wishes (be useful), in this physical environment. Just thinking doesn't do it.

In fact I believe that's why we are here in the first place. Only here can we pretend to be a good and loving person, and end-up loving being that kind of person. Some would call it rebirth or regeneration.
Thanks for your topic.

Apr 12 2014:
Adriann, Your answer was interesting to me. I was wondering....when you find yourself unhappy or less than what you would consider fulfilled, do you tell yourself that you will try better or do things differently in your next life? Do you feel that you may get another chance to learn from the mistakes you made in this life?

Apr 14 2014:
Nicholas I am new here at TED and was wondering what led you to ask this question have you been feeling down or upset? Did someone hurt you so bad that you dont know what happiness is anymore?

Apr 14 2014:
No, lol, don't think that! I am just a philosopher-type of person - I am never settled with the simple answer or just one - it has to be complex and sophisticated. That includes happiness lol. To the point where I see it as something which drives our general thinking (evolutionarily, socially and individually). I like to ask general/broad questions to crowd-source how others interpret such basic terms. "What is love? Evil?" Next conversation will be 'What is respect?" Look for it!

" To gain, some sort of objective happiness, Aristotle would say "a secondary condition for happiness is political activism" therefore, instead of solely using your thoughts to better yourself, you would be practically using your thoughts to make real changes in society. "

"As far as our culture: We are one who does not care about the future in the norm, therefore individuals will not care to focus on life long goals, and rather immediate happiness satisfying..

As for every individual: Happiness does not come from making happiness the goal... Happiness comes from creating a path which allows personal betterment. Ignorance prevents the goal from being a futuristic one... But, very successful at providing immediate happiness, because those who are blissfully ignorant are those who making happiness the goal, and not goals which allow happiness."

Apr 3 2014:
Well the Beatles said "Happiness is a warm gun, shoot shoot, bang bang" I concur...
Happiness is a smile that reaches your heart, I said that
Happiness has early warning signs, just like an earthquake, they are vibrations which start hitting your body, wave after wave until you feel a warming sensation around your heart (that is because it begins to beat faster) and all your senses begin to crave more stimulation as the waves roll over and through your body. Your mind races to pinpoint the approach and your senses turn to face the light waves and get the full impact of the tsunami about to rock your world. Your heart seems to be beating out of control and your face is flush with excitement as you hear it rolling down a narrow corridor like a hundred miles of railroad train, and then it happens, first a sputter followed immediately with a gigantuous clap of thunder. Opps flatulation. What we talking about? Happiness? Oh yea... "Happiness is a warm (yes it is) gun" :)

Life is like a blanket too short. You pull it up and your toes rebel, you yank it down and shivers meander about your shoulder; but cheerful folks manage to draw their knees up and pass a very comfortable night. ~Marion Howard

Life is not like a box of chocolates. It's more like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today might burn your xyz tomorrow. ~Author Unknown

Apr 4 2014:
Thank you Rodrigo I love Quote gardens, here are a couple of my own if you are interested:http://youtu.be/lGoxRmzGQ_Uhttp://youtu.be/mmuz0YMqcCU
Best played on FULLSCREEN the bigger the better and Stereophonic sound, the scenery is awesome. Sit back and relax, I would love to take you for a ride... By the way, You and I did our graduate work at the same college, what a coincidence.

Apr 5 2014:
Well Greg there is a lot of proof that plants like some music, I guess they are picky. Some pets will watch TV for hours just like their owners. My guess is insects have such a short life span and so much work to do that they don't care as much about music. They sure scurry when they hear your hands clap so my guess is they do have hearing mechanisms. Their antennae appears to be their most sensitive appendage but who knows what information they are getting from them. We know so little. Touch is the obvious but they may be feeling vibrations like our inner ear of they may be testing chemical content like a tongue or other things we cannot even imagine. They touch each others antennae for some kind of communication like ants, what is that all about, who knows. It may be like a thumb drive and they are instantly transferring terabytes of information to one another, the fact is we have no clue after studying them for hundreds of years. Humans think they are smart but the fact is we are pretty much clueless and worse, we don't know it. We are slaves and refuse to believe that also. One thing we do know... they have survived a whole lot longer than we have or will. Maybe they are farming us, they sure eat us when we stop moving, don't they.... A beetle conversation might go like this: Hey George, pass the Dejon I like mustard on my human steak, it is still a little tough. Ringo, how about a little music to wash this kidney down, you known how music puts me in the mood for this delicious brain soup.

Apr 6 2014:
one kind of strange thing i've heard, keith, is that if a nuclear bomb is dropped, cockroaches will be able to survive the radiation. Wonder what's different about their bodies? Well, it's good to know if we all kill each other in a massive nuclear war, at least some life-form will survive.

Apr 6 2014:
For one thing they do not have lungs which is one of the reason you can step on them and they still get up and walk away. They are also regenerative, if they lose a body part they just grow another one.
I am pretty sure the way "we" are going, we will disappear just like the dinosaurs did, unable to live in the toxic state we are creating on this planet, poisoning our own water, land, air and even space.

Apr 30 2014:
In addition, their cells do not divide very often--only when they shed their shells once they become adults. This gives their DNA repair mechanisms time to fix things after a hit of ionizing radiation.

However, I don't see how "the way we are going" will lead to an asteroid or comet impact that will result in our extinction. That is how the dinosaurs went out.

Apr 8 2014:
No heart or blood, they have that gooey stuff throughout there body and even if you chop off their head or smash it, the gooey stuff will clot and they will continue to live for several weeks. They can stay under water for almost an hour and some do not even need a male to reproduce. Some only need the male once for an entire lifetime. One female can produce many hundreds of eggs and some thousands in a lifetime. They are very hardy.

Apr 9 2014:
Greg, I lived in Hawaii for 20 years where cockroaches get so big we put saddles on them and ride them into town for the cockroach races. Seriously everything thrives in the tropics and insects can be a major problem so I had no choice but to learn as much about them as possible just to survive. The best way to control them is not leave food out for them. Seal all food up in containers and keep your home clean. I worked for a farmer who controlled them with chemicals and even went to school and got my own commercial license from the State to buy and use restricted chemicals. I also spent time at the federal agriculture testing station on Kauai where our government produced Agent Orange used in Vietnam to kill everything it touches and many other chemicals. That is what convinced me to quit working on the farm. And yes I always Google for the latest answers and to make sure I get the facts as clear as possible, after suffering from sleep apnea for 30+ years my mind is not as clear as it used to be.

Apr 9 2014:
Happy can never be achieved by just making it the goal, or rather, making it the goal in the first place.

I'll try an example:

My parents used to try to plan great family vacations; we'd fly here and spend nights here and here, and if we drive here we can see this while it's available. Renting a car, hotels, eating out, the works. I appreciated and appreciate these trips. But it was never perfect for anyone. My father would expect this to and that to be on time, it wasn't - anxiety. My mom would clean so much we missed an activity - argument - anxiety. My brother and I would get into a fight and not want to spend time with one another - anxiety.

And at times it just seems the best part of the vacation were the pictures and the discussions my parents and brother and I got to share afterwards - about where we went. "Here here and here and then saw this that and some of these."

Where is the actual happiness? Was it at the achievement of a great vacation or the enjoyment from the thought of a great vacation?

And by useful I was implying what we gain from evolving as people and evolution.. What would be the benefits of being happy in order to survive?

Apr 12 2014:
I think that when you consider yourself to be happy, you find yourself happier than you were (or could have been) during other times - happiness is relative. So perhaps when planning a vacation - you imagine being happier than you are at the moment. Then, during the vacation - you find it doesn't live up to your expectations. You may feel unhappy, because you find yourself less happy than you could have been had the trip gone well, less happy than you expected. Once you're back home and reliving the trip, it's possible that during the trip you felt happier than usual, (even though it didn't go exactly as planned), and that's why at the moment you feel happy, remembering a happier time than the present.
Bottom line, I think that a person is a master of his or her own happiness. It's possible to think, again and again, about what you're missing in your life, and how things could be better, and sink into depression. But if you look on the bright side, think of what you do have, how good your life is, - then you are creating your own happiness.
As for benefits in order to survive - human beings differ from animals in that they search for meaning in their life. It is not enough to live, it's all about how to live. Happiness answers that need. If I'm happy, I feel like I'm getting something out of my life, that it's worth living. Maybe with the pursuit of happiness comes the will to live.

Apr 29 2014:
Without book definition of happiness, happyiness is very simple- we are happy, if we make others being happy.

Real happiness is based on self-affirmation who we are, and that we are good, and that information we got from others. That's why we (like) helping others, watch them being happy, and feeling proud because, we made them feel that way.

Apr 14 2014:
Happiness is something that you feel when you are excited or when you see the love of your life . Happiness can also be a sad feeling. What I mean by a sad feeling is when somebody dies in your family and your looking down on them, you remember what you did with that person the fun, sadness, love all of those things make you happy because you remember every single moment with that person, and you know they are right there with you in Heaven, they will never leave the gate of your heart.

Apr 15 2014:
I think this because you cant for example fall in love without being happy... Someone just cant have no one in their life that has died or has been seriously hurt... What im trying to say is that you cant be happy without knowing what sadness is.. its really hard to know what happiness is without knowing what sadness is.

Apr 10 2014:
Hi Nicolas, There is an old saying that my grandmother used to tell me that I believe is true it says.....Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have"

I see a lot of people who are miserable over "stuff". Wanting stuff, losing stuff, not be able to afford stuff or worrying about someone taking their stuff. And then there is a lot of unhappiness over indulging in too much stuff. The show hoarders is one example. The number of homes in foreclosure is another example. There were so many people that went in over their heads and purchased much more home than they could afford. I suppose they thought that it would bring them happiness. Each month they would struggle to make the house payment and in the end they lost their homes anyway when the housing market crashed. That could not have been a happy day for them.

For me, I stick to the advice of "wanting what I have" I live very modestly in what most would consider a tiny home, but I think of it as cozy. I have son that I am very proud of, a husband who took his wedding vows seriously, a mother who is supportive and has my back, and my dog who is always happy to see me. I have clean clothes on my back, some food in the fridge and some cash in my wallet. In my opinion, I need nothing more, and that is my definition of happiness.

There are also many wealthy people in big mansions with bottomless bank account that are miserable. Nothing is ever enough, they may become paranoid that everyone wants something from them and they even may become intolerant of anything or anyone that they feel is below them. They think everyone is out to get their money so they close their heart and lose their trust. That does not seem happy.

The bottom line is I think for anyone to be happy, they need to be content where they are, wherever that may be. Some days you may need to find a reason to be happy but should keep in mind if times are tough that everything is always changing.

Apr 12 2014:
While I agree - for the most people I met - your response can hold a lot of value, but it is not universal, and with that in mind I find it easier said than done for many people to "be content" with what they have when they have nothing (literally). Their need to strive for more becomes either impossible or much harder than it would be normally because of their pre-conditioned life. Should they be content when they can never be more, or feel more? Should they be content with how unfortunate they are in their life, when they were just born that way?

I say no, they should fight and struggle for more. And probably will become better for it, not having just accepted their lives the way it is but trying to make it what they want.

This advice is good for the some I have met in first world countries that take for granted the food they eat, their families and their possessions. This advice is not as useful for those in impoverished areas of the world...

Apr 12 2014:
Hi Nicolas, I agree that if I were hungry or homeless, or suffering on pain, I too would find it challenging to feel content. You said you find it easier said than done for "many people" to be content when they had nothing. How many of these people do you actually know? You talk about a "pre-conditioned" life of an impoverished person. And yet, their parents are well aware that there is no food, but have a child anyway. There needs to be some help with population control in areas that cannot provide for the basic needs of even the existing people, never mind more children. If that sounds harsh, it is because reality is hard to hear.

There is another kind of pre-conditioned life for many born with a silver spoon. They want for nothing, are often over indulged by their parents, have never heard the word no, have no clue how to manage money because there is always more, and do not believe they they were put on this earth to disturb dirt with a shovel. And it is unfortunate that they too were "born that way".

My point was for those who have the basics, such as a home, food and clothing a some cash or at least a job to make some, to be a little more HAPPY and learn to count their blessings. You may be interested to know that only 1% of the world population has all four of the following:
1) A roof over their head
2) Clean clothes on their back
3) Some food to eat
4) Some money in their pocket

Do you feel happy now?

I also agree with you that if times are bad, that a person should fight to keep their head above water and work hard until they get back on track - and like you, believe that they will be a better person for it, and appreciate where they came from and the achievements they worked hard for.

I have had lots of money, some money and no money at different times in my life, and I was always still me, My issue is with the people that feel that their happiness is based on what they have - like whether or not they can upgrade their cell phone this week.

Apr 12 2014:
I have come to accept we are never not-children in our lives, we simply gain more knowledge and the knowledge we are not longer 'children.' In other words... our minds are that of a child through our lives... We are always gaining experiences and learning from the past and trying to make a better future...

It would be better for people to remember: We all do those things, and should try to remember without others we could never have a chance to experience those things. Work hard to work hard with others, play with others, because others are where we came from, and others are going to be with us and are constantly involved with us (I mean we didn't make this website to talk to one another).

As socialistic as it sounds ' we are others and need others ' which is why - exactly as you said - the older should make challenges for the younger to get through life... not but them in front of T.V and let that brainwash them, or just rely on the education system to educate them...

If you are older and see a child, ask them a question - they may not know the answer but it is more likely the question will stick with them longer than it would an adult (less knowledge clouding their perception).

Increasing happiness (according to Haidt) can be done through medication, meditation and (cognitive, behavioral) therapy.
Furthermore, it seems that happiness has a strong hereditary component.

Sometimes, when I'm waiting (in a line or for the bus), I try and change my neutral state to a happy one. Like self-suggestion: I remind myself about how great it is to be alive, to see the people and watching them bustling around, or admire a tree and look at the details of the bark,... or listen to the different noises. It works.

Yes, you can question everything, and why shouldn't you be happy while doing so?

Apr 8 2014:
Not that I need to give you anymore 'likes' Chris, but one more can't hurt - thanks for participating, long time no discussion.

I was not relating 'intelligence' as much as 'knowledge' - they differ where one is the responsive-awareness and the other is just awareness. Knowledge is more a memory-factor and intelligence is more so the cognitive functionality which is the macro to the micro-part of memory - as there are multiple components of intelligence (memory being one). In a brief sense; dissonance is activated when knowledge is violated, not necessarily intelligence.

So happiness effecting knowledge and vice versa, is an odd but interesting concern of mine.

Why ignorance may be bliss: Once we learn the truth, we can never go back. Once the thought is unfolded, it can never refold the same way,

Now this may not necessarily be 'unhappiness due to knowledge seeking and learning' but that also depends on the knowledge being sought and what is being learned.

We cannot unlearn our loved ones have been unfaithful, we cannot unlearn why innocent people have died and we cannot unlearn how we were unknowingly at fault and offended another.

So, yes, there is no empirical evidence (to my knowledge) that knowing more can make someone less happy. But there are examples where that is just the case. Also consider how one would enact religious practices although they do not fully agree, but do so to please their family - this is letting external happiness agendas override one's knowledge (and awareness) of what would be a more happy situation. And contemplating such could lead to more anxiety. Another example: not approving of the arranged suitors one's family has picked out for you and wanting to find one's own spouse.

Again there is an external element effecting one's inner happiness with knowledge. The more they think about it the worse it becomes...

Thanks for your contributions - and we should remember: Zen is the tree right in front of our faces :-D

Of course I need to agree that the knowledge of specific facts might hurt a person (like hearing what some of your deemed friends say behind your back, or your girl/boyfriend cheating on you,...) - especially those things you care about.
I think one can easily find find cases where the discovery of certain facts may have led to depression or even suicide.
-- I also believe that there must be cases where the absence of certain facts might have led to depression or suicide as well, as portrayed in Greek tragedies or Shakespeare's The Moor of Venice --

In those cases, ignorance may be bliss... but then again, if you uphold truth high in your banner, in the end, you might be happier that you did find out.
I think that's why, on an average scale, both balance out or lean over towards knowing is better...

Apr 9 2014:
Of course there is a possibility too much and too little awareness can effect one's ability to make and predict future based decisions.

However, as this discussion showed me, there is a remarkable lack of interest to regard happiness as something objective and/or void of opinion. Happiness has to relate to 1. oneself, 2. and how we relate it to our depiction of 1.

I'll bring up how you said you can enjoy the simplicity of existence - the bark of a tree for a moment - but be fair, that's not everyday. That's an occasion, a brief enjoyment, compared to what that moment meant for the rest of your/mine/our lives, means... void - nothing. You brought that bark to an example, but will it go further? Will it quantify the same, after another example of something - not looked at - but thought about in place of your bark.

Robert Galway said the "It is possible for events, circumstances, or conditions to make you happy or sad. ...[ in this discussion ]... For example in a life where food is plentiful, being served something you do not like makes you sad, but in a life where food is scarce, finding anything to eat may make you happy."

What counts as knowing, also effects our ability to know.

A child in a country polluted by the first world developments... could only imagine a life where they could enjoy waiting at a bus stop to go to school or work. They can never imagine staring at the bark on a tree, waiting at a bus stop...

Mental health is not the only concern, there is a balancing of 'self' - individuation, self actualization - that is required for someone to know they want to have more than a 'normal' mind by means of medicine and therapy.. but by learning what those medicines and therapies are doing, and trying to learn the basics of how to do that.

I know you're a man of a higher awareness, but, please consider, from a stance of objectivity: happiness can lead people to their biases as likely as a moment of enjoyment

Apr 6 2014:
Here are some quotes about happiness from Hazrat Inayat Khan, who was a teacher of Universal Sufism:

"There is no source of happiness other than the heart of man."

"Our thoughts have prepared for us the happiness or unhappiness we experience."

"The principal thing necessary for attaining happiness is to purify one's mind from all things that disturb it and create disharmony. There are not only bad impressions which disturb the tranquility of the mind, but many feelings of resentment and resistance against things which do not agree with one's own idea that disturb one's mind."

"We also confuse pleasure and happiness. Sometimes we say pleasure for happiness, or happiness for pleasure. In reality very few in this world know what happiness means. Pleasure is the shadow of happiness, for pleasure depends upon things outside ourselves; happiness comes from within ourselves. Happiness belongs to the heart quality; pleasure to the outer world. The distance between pleasure and happiness is as vast as that between earth and heaven. As long as the heart is not tuned to its proper pitch one will not be happy. That inner smile which shows itself in a man's expression, in his atmosphere, that belongs to happiness. If position were taken away and wealth were lost in the outer life, that inner happiness would not be taken away. And the smiling of the heart depends upon the tuning of the heart, the heart must be tuned to that pitch where it is living."

"Happiness lies in thinking or doing that which one considers beautiful."

"Man unconsciously pays happiness in order to buy pleasure."

"Earthly pleasures are the shadows of happiness, because of their transitoriness. True happiness is in love, which is the stream that springs from one's soul; and he who will allow this stream to run continually in all conditions of life, in all situations, however difficult, will have a happiness which truly belongs to him, whose source is not without, but within."

Apr 5 2014:
General personal happiness is a temporary condition in which you are emotionally content with your present situation, environment and/or general state of well being. I see happy/sad as sort of a an emotional dividing line that impacts attitude towards yourself and others, and perhaps also how strongly your are motivated to change your situation, environment and/or state of well being.

It is possible for events, circumstances, or conditions to make you happy or sad. How much you let these things control your emotions varies from person to person, and from life experience to life experience. For example in a life where food is plentiful, being served something you do not like makes you sad, but in a life where food is scarce, finding anything to eat may make you happy.

Since happiness is relative, in order tho know and appreciate happiness, you must also know sadness.

Apr 5 2014:
In physics, a quantum (plural: quanta) is the minimum amount of any physical entity involved in an interaction. Behind this, one finds the fundamental notion that a physical property may be "quantized," referred to as "the hypothesis of quantization".[1] This means that the magnitude can take on only certain discrete values. (From Wiki).

Not sure I understand your question, but if it is "How little contentment with your present situation, environment and/or general state of well being is required to go from sad to happy?", then I think the response might be:

Quantum happiness is the amount of happiness required for you to switch the focus of your attention from being sad and to being happy. Once again it would vary.

Apr 8 2014:
You rationalized how the hierarchy of needs is part of the question of happiness (and our ability to express happiness and sadness).

If this were a course in philosophy I would give you a B+ lol, and an A+ for the response to Rodrigo - thoughtful, informative and expressive. Which, by the way, some Buddhist in history define as 'enlightenment' in which is the ability to control one's emotions freely - to turn sadness to happiness without any delay; instantly.

You get the B+ because you did not discuss long term happiness (and like most people here didn't bother to try to answer any of my other questions lol). But I am curious to hear more from you about long-term happiness and what does that involve. Keep the hierarchy of needs involved (and how others may be at different levels), and perhaps add more about environments (which I imagine will be key for a life time of happiness - but I may be wrong).

thanks for both your excellent response (kidding about the grade, you posted something excellent here)